Method for filling containers



Dec. 8, 1953 R. H. WINTERS METHOD FOR FILLING CONTAINERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 11, 1947 ATlD/WVEYS.

Dec. 8, 1953 R. H. WINTERS METHOD FOR FILLING CONTAINERS Original Filed Feb. 11, 1947 Fig. 3

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 J6 i a;

, INVENTOR. W fl. WW BY M ATTO/F/VZYS.

R. H. WINTERS METHOD FOR FILLING CONTAINERS Dec. 8, 1953 2,662,017

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Feb. 11, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

Dec. 8, 1953 R. H. WINTERS METHOD FOR FiILLING CONTAINERS 4 Sheets-Shed 4 Original Filed Feb. 11, 1947 2 V #fNL EN TOR. A BY Q MM HTTOF/VEYS.

Patented Dec. 8, 1953 I V UNITED STATES ears- NT OFFICE Russel-l IL. Wi rs, r en Bay assignor' a ihelrarsen Comp ny Green, Bays; Wish Original application February 11, 194 1 Serial No.

727,796. Divided and thisrapplicafion Becomeher I,'19510,.Seria.-l No. 198,609

LClaim. (ores-111.). 1 2

This invention, relates to a, method for: fillin Figis. a fragmentary horizontal sectio containers and" more particularly to: a; method takenconli ne Illsll x 9-. for filling a procession of containers with a 131% Fig. 11 is a, front elevation of the same. raltty of layers of materials separated by sheet Fig. 12 is a top plan view -thereof..

material pieces. 7 r Eigt. 1351s afr srnentary s de elevation the Thisapplication is a division of. my conendi-ng viewedfromtne same dir ction as in Fig, 9 application now issued as; Patent Nor, 2,5 8,02 F gl is =8 fra m ntary vertic s ct n-take entitled Ap aratus for Filling: Containers. on line M 4, Eie. '9.

The principal objectv of; the present. invention Ris v 1:5- iszaf agmentary vertical sectiont ken is. to provide such a, methodwhiQh alternately 10 on line li thnic. 13,

deposits; a, layer. of difierent foodstuffs. and sheet Elia; ,16 isa fragment ry horizon a sectio material pieces into the containers; so that: the takenoutline tfi lfi Ei a 14cv 7 various layers of foodstufis: are maintaineci-sep- I-nctho practice of the present inventi n the crate; from each. other; Thus relatively small cans are; filledand sealed in the manner illusamounts of different; foodstuffsarewpacked :a. 159 tratedin F gs 3:8,; inclusive, th s il -ussingle container from, which the various layers hating the sequence; of material fi l ng. nd-teale15- can. be separately removedandfused any delaying operations The can 19, nl-led-and-sealed sired-1 manner, such as, for example, to! form-an as illustrat -tame: it, is. shown con ainin attractive. salad or garnish. five separate layers: Mme inclusive of; different An important object. of the-present; mtentionc 2Q foodstnffsand Witha parchment papersepara-tor isto. provide. such a methodiwhi'ch adapted. to Z interposed: between adjacent, layers. {these a continuous; high speed can. operation :layers. and parchment. p n l" separatorsare inand in particular is adapted for use in a singl sex-ted. in, each. can .inwthe manner illnstrateq in line. in which the alternate operations offitling Figs. 3- 7 loy o aratns hown in them-l ng line, the cans with the different foodstufisyandinsertt-r Figs. E1, and I ing parchment paper se arators is arranged in Referring -more particul rly to Figs; 1 anti '2,

proper sequence to render this; type ofipaok comthe numeral 2% IQPVE M c vertical antor mercially practicable which fe ds a suc ession of empty cans openat Another object of the invention is to provide r one end to aoanefilling line having; a

such a method in which the successiwecanszare of stationsat whichgthe cans are sucoessitely uniformly provided with the same. proportions filled: with relatively small predetermined of the different foodstuffs and in which the amounts of different foodstuffs so as. to form several layers are uniformly pro ided: with-parehr layers witnparchment paper separators arranged ment paper separators. arranged therebetween gtherehetween. 1 each station the line fi'eaps Another aim of the inv ntion :is. to provid isdivertedintoa an'filleh, indic t d enerally such a method; which oper t with aminimum ataamhich can hoof a y s taloleoontontiono of hand labor and Supervisionaut matic on ern eaot mat c W1 9 depositin Other objects and-advantages. of the invent-ion a predetermined quantity of; foodstuffs into each will appear from the following description and passing can. ttQaQh-station; withthe exception sealingline and showing the successive stations of the layer of ioodstnfisat; that St.

a p ny n r ings which: a of'the first s ationeah ro m ntc per para Fi 1 s a i el v tion f-a n fillinsand .ZJ sinser ed intoaohoan prio -to ser io at. which the cans are packed with-slayers of insertionoj these parchment paper separators fornistnffs and c v par m nt pap r sepbe ns ef ected oya'detioe inoi at dieenerallyrat being, filled in accordance with. the presentinerence-to Figs. 1 and 2 so as to illustrate-th 50 amtors in accordance withthisinventiom 14. Inc .oonstme ionand ope tio of ie ohi Fig.2 isa top plan view thereof 1 Figs. 38 are vertical sections through a can vention, these figures beingarrangoil withrefoonventionalvtypev r V successive operations performed atthe variou 7 ctttl ehiirsthfilling station theeniptyopcnstations of the can. fill ng l ner too can 1% ones. with the firs layer liloo -Fig.o is. a vertical fragmentarysection,partl fooclstufisas illustrated in Fla. 3.. at

inelevation, of one of the devioesfor di pensin filler Z3.,.a.t this station, From this. n tstation soe se h Paper sesameiso herm-19 e; oeot =ansproceeds o the s conctstahon where a parchment paper separator 2| is first dropped into each can on top of the layer a by the device 24 at this station, following which the second layer 201) of foodstuffs is deposited on top of this parchment paper separator by the filler 23 at this second station. The partly filled can as it leaves the second filling station is illustrated in Fig. 4.

The procedure at the second station is repeated at the third, fourth and fifth filling stations, the line of cans progressively passing through or by these filling stations at each of which a parchment paper separator 2i is first dropped into the can on top of the uppermost layer therein by the device 24 at each of these stations, followin which a layer of foodstufis is deposited on top of this parchment paper separator 2| by the filler 23 at each of these stations. In Figs. 5, 6 and '7 is illustrated the condition of each can leaving, re-

spectively, the third, fourth and fifth filling stations. Following the fifth station the line of cans enters the can sealer 25 in which a top 26 is applied to the open end of the can to provide a sealed closure therefor.

The apparatus for dropping a parchment paperseparator 21 into each of the passing cans at the second, third, fourth and fifth filling stations is illustrated in Figs. 9-16. This device is mounted on the upward extension of the vertical shaft 30 of the can filler which carries the can feed starwheel 3| which feeds the line of cans [9 into the can filler. The device comprises a frame member 32 having a tubular part 33 surrounding the upward extension of the rotating shaft 30 and provided with bearing bushings 34 between this tubular part 33 and the shaft 30. At its lower end this tubular part 33 of the frame member 32 is supported on a thrust bearing disk 35 which in turn is supported upon a collar 36 fast to the shaft 30 immediately above the can feed star wheel 3|. The frame member 32 is prevented from rotating with the shaft 30 in any suitable manner as by the provision of a strap 38 which can be attached to any stationary part of the can filler adjacent the device. The upper part of the frame member 32 is formed to provide a gear box 39 for a bevel gear 40 fast to the shaft 30' and meshing with a bevel pinion 4| fast to a horizontal stub shaft 42 which is journaled in bushings 43 mounted in a neck 44 projecting laterally from one side of the gear box, as best illustrated I in Fig. 9.

'largement is nonrotatably mounted a rotor 48,

this rotor being preferably retained on the enlargement 41 by an integral end head 49 on the stub shaft 42. The rotor 48 is in the form of a disk having a cylindrical but relatively narrow periphery 5B and fiat radially extending sides 5! g and 52.

The rotor 48 is provided with means for removing or stripping off the lowermost parchment paper separator from a stack of separators arranged in an overhead magazine, which magazine is preferably constructed as follows: The cover for the gear box 39 is formed on the side adjacent base block 56 is secured to this upstanding flange 55 by means of screws 58, or in any other suitable manner, this base block being provided with a vertical stepped bore 59 in which is removably inserted an open-ended cylinder 6%, the lower end of which is supported on the step of this stepped bore 59. A stack of the parchment paper separators 2!, each of which is in the form of a thin flat disk, is contained in the cylinder 89, the lowermost parchment paper separator 21 of this stack resting at one side on the periphery 5d of the rotor 48, as best shown in Fig. 15. The other side of this-lowermost parchment paper separator 2| is supported at a higher elevation upon a pin 6| which extends upwardly through a semicircular bottom plate 52 which closes oli half of the bottom of the stepped bore 59 of the base block 55. This semi-circular plate 62 is shown as secured to the bottom of the base block 58 by screws 53 and the pin 61 is shown as supported by an L-shaped block 64, having an upstanding part which is secured to the adjacent side of the base block 56 by screws 65, as best shown in Figs. 11 and 15. The pin (ii is shown as held in the L-shaped block 64 by means of a set screw 66 and which permits adjustment of the elevation of the upper end of this pin.

The parchment paper separator 25 stripped off from the bottom of the stack contained in the base block 56 and magazine cylinder 69 is protectively guided on the periphery 53 of the rotor 43 in its movement along with this rotor by a semicircular metal shield 68 which embraces the downwardly moving side of this rotor and is arranged in closely spaced relation to its periphery 50, as best shown in Fig. 15. The upper end of this semi-circular shield can be secured to the base block 56 in any suitable manner as by the upstanding ear 69 provided thereon and attached to the side of the base block 56 by the screws 76. The semi-circular shield 68 is shown as being of sufficient width to shroud each passing disk and prevent it from being displaced or crumpled during any part of its travel with the periphery 50 of the rotor 48.

The lowermost parchment paper separator 2! is stripped by the rotor from the overhead stack by means of vacuum. For this purpose the rotor 48 is provided on diametrically opposite sides with a pair of radially extending passages 75, the enlarged outer ends of which open to the periphery 58 of this rotor. In the enlarged outer end of each of these passages 15 is arranged a rubber nipple T6 of soft frictional material such as rub ber, which preferably projects a slight amount radially outwardly from the periphery 5d of the rotor and is provided with a central bore ll leading from its outer face to the radial passage 15 of the rotor 48. Adjacent its inner end each radial passage 15 communicates with a lateral passage 18 leading to the flat face 52 of the rotor.

This flat face 52 is engaged by a fiat face 80 of a valve member 8i, this valve member being generally in the form of a disk and slidingly mounted on the neck 44 of the gear box 39 and being urged into engagement with the flat face 52 of the rotor by a helical compression spring 82. This valve member 8| is shown as held against rotation by a pair of keys 83 which connect this valve member to the stationary neck 44 of the gear box 39, as best shown in Figs. 14 and 16. A semi-circular or arcuate groove 84 is provided in the flat face 89 of the valve member 8| this groove being concentric with the axis the rotor to provide an upstanding flange 5 A of rotation of the rotor 48 and being arranged afl conn'ecting with. a line 9|.

' i' nent of each-of thesepassages lfi. The upper end of the arcuate-groovei84'is shown asncommunicating with a ort-85 leading to a passage -86 which in' turn leads to a vacuum lineSB. This -vacuum line adcan be connected :to any-suitable vacuum source (not shown) to maintaina'vacuur-n in the arcuate groove 84.

Beyond'the extreme lowerend of the-arcuate groove 2. port 89 isprovided in the flat facets of the valve member 8|, this port being adapted to communicate with the passages 18 of the-rotor n and being in communication witha passage lhis line'9l can beopen to the-atmosphere or can be connected to any suitable source (not shown) of :compressed air.

.In order to insure proper deposit of each parchmentpaper separator '21 by the rotor 48 *into'the can [9 being conveyed by the can feed star Wheel3L-a stationary-stripping device, indicated generally at 95, is provided. This stripping deviceis shown .asbeing in the form of a piece of wire which is securedlat its upper end i to the "L-shaped block 64 by the screw 36 and the ends'of which extend downwardly on opposite sides of the rotor 48. Each of'these' wire ends extends downwardl'yialong the rising side of the rotor 48 to a position below the lowermost extremity .of 1 this rotor and immediately above the open end 'of'the'cap lfi'passing thereunder. The extremity 96 of each of these wire ends is bent .upwar'dly to lie alongside the descending side of the rotQl immediately adjacent itsperiphery and is preferably arranged substantially tangential to this wheel, as best shown in Figs. .11 and 15. These extremities 96 thereby provide downwardly "extending stripper-s which serve to insure t e removal of the parchment paper separator 2| from the rotor 4s,

OPERATION For the operation of the device the different materials to be filled into the cans are supplied to the can fillers 23 at each of the five stations illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; a stack of parchment paper separators 2| is maintained in the cylindrical magazine 60 of each device 24 at the second, third, fourth and fifth stations and a line of cans is being conveyed successively through the can fillers 23 at each of the five stations to the can sealer 25. At the first station illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the line of cans I9 is diverted into a can filler 23 and the bottom layer 2011 of foodstuffs is deposited in each can by this filler. The cans so filled with one layer 29a continuously pass to the second station Where they are successively picked up by the can feed star wheel 3! of the can filler 23 at this second station.

The upward extension of the shaft 39 of this can feed star wheel 3! drives the bevel gear 46 which in turn drives the bevel pinion 4|, stub shaft 42 and rotor 48. The periphery 59 of this rotor 48 is in wiping contact with the lowermost parchment paper separator 2| of the stack of these separators contained in the cylindrical magazine Bi] and its supporting base block 56,

this wiping contact being with the left hand side of this lowermost parchment paper separator as viewed in Fig. 15. The opposite side of this stack of parchment paper separators 2! is supported by the upper end of the pin 6| which projects upwardly through the semi-circular plate-2 at the bottom of -the ma azine. pin serves to support the "stack of parchment paper-separators :2! in a slightly inclined posi- "tion and with-a minimum-frictional contact ime lowermost separator :of this stack so lithe this lowermost separator 12 I acan be stripped from the bottomof-the stack-bythe rotor 243 with a minimum amount .of force.

The lowermost parchment paper separator :is so stripped from-the bottom-of -the stack inthe magazine 'b-y' the rubber'nipp'les 76 as they suc 'cessively pass in contact with "the bottom of the stack and which operate-as vacuum nipples to seize the lowermost separator of the stack and -torhold it to the rotoruntil it reaches a position above the open end "of the can 19 being con.- veyedby the can feed star wheel 3I,-at which time the parchment paper separator is released to be deposited in this can. The'removal of the lowermost parchmentpaper separator 21 from 1 the bottom: of the stack of'separ-ators arranged'in themagazi-ne $0 is' facilitated by a slight'radial :extension of these rubber nipples it beyondthe periphery :50 of the rotor.

To render the'rubber nipples idoperative as -va'cuumnipples along the descendingside of the :rotor 48, each vacuum nipple is provided with the passage Tl leading to -the'bore 16 andpassage 18; this latter passage "18 opening to the flat face 52 of the rotor and being in communication with the arcuate groove while the nipple is traversing the "descending side of the rotor48. This'arcuate groove "84 is placed under vacuum "through the bore 85, passage 86 andthe vacuum line '88 which can "be connected to any suitable form of vacuum device (not shown). The vacuum'so produced'in each rubber nipple 16 while traversing'the descending side of the rotor 48 serves to hold '.the'leading side of the parchment paper separator 2 I, stripped from the bottom of thecstack, to the periphery 590i the rotor and displacementor crumplingof this separator sobeing carried along the descending side of the rotor 48 is prevented by the wide semicircular shield 68 which embraces the descending side of this rotor in close proximity to its periphery.

When the rubber nipple with a parchment paper separator 2| secured thereto by vacuum reaches the bottom of the rotor, this vacuum is relieved and, if desired, a puff of air under pressure can be supplied to the nipple at its lowermost position on the rotor to blow the leading end of the parchment paper separator 2| downwardly into the open end of the can l9 being conveyed thereunder by the can feed star wheel 3|. For this purpose, when each rubber nipple 16 reaches the bottom of the rotor 48, its passage 18 comes into register with the port 89 of the stationary valve member 8|. This port 89 is connected either to the atmosphere or to a source of compressed air (not shown) through the passage 90 and line 9| and-hence at this time a puff of air, determined by the extent of registry of the passage 18 with the port 89 is admitted to the inverted rubber nipple 16 to so blow the parchment paper separator 2| from the rotor 49 I into the can l9 arranged thereunder.

to its periphery to efiect a smooth stripping of each separator 21 therefrom.

It will be understood that a parchment paper separator 2| is dropped into each can being conveyed by the can feed star wheel 3| and that hence the rotation of the rotor 48 must be synchronized with the rotation of this can feed star wheel 3 I To this end the can feed star wheel 3| is shown as having eight can ockets; a four-toone ratio is provided by the bevel gears 40 and 4| and the rotor G8 is provided with two diametrically oppositely located rubber transfer nipples it, as previously indicated.

It will further be noted that the helical compression spring 82 constantly urges the valve member 6! to the left, as viewed in Fig. 9, so as to insure an intimate contact between the flat face 89 of this valve member and the fiat face 52 of the rotor 48.

The parchment paper separator 2| so dropped into each can at the second station falls flat on to of the first layer 22a of foodstuffs packed therein. The can feed star wheel 35 thereupon introduces this can into the can filler 23 at the second station where the second layer 201) of foodstuffs is deposited upon this parchment paper separator 21. In a continuous progression each of the cans in the line is so provided with a parchment paper separator 2i and a second layer 202) of foodstuffs at this second station, and this continuous progression of cans is conveyed to the third fourth and fifth stations where the process performed at the second station is successively repeated. Each can is filled layer by layer with different foodstuffs and with a parchment paper separator 2 between adjacent layers until the can has been completely filled at the fifth station as illustrated in Fig. '7. From this fifth station the filled can passes to the can sealer 25 where its top 25 is applied and sealed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a rapid process and apparatus for filling cans with layers of different foodstuffs separated by parchment paper separators and which act in conjunction with a continuously moving line of cans so as to provide commercial capacity. It will further be seen that the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 9-16 for dispensing the parchment paper separators into the passing cans is of extremely simple construction considering the function which it performs, and operates rapidly and positively to drop a single parchment paper separator properly into each can without likelihood of crumpling the same.

I claim:

The high capacity continuous method of filling uniformly a procession of cylindrical containers with a plurality of separated layers of difierent foodstuffs, which comprises continuously moving the containers in said procession successively past a plurality of filling stations, depositing a predetermined amount of foodstuffs into each container as it passes each station, and intermittently dropping single parchment paper disks into the moving procession of containers at a location between the stations, the rate of dropping the disks being coincided with the movement of the containers whereby a disk is placed on the uppermost layer of each container at that particular location.

RUSSELL H. WINTERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 18,426 Willoughby Apr. 19, 1932 1,662,044 Sanborn Mar. 6, 1928 1,773,080 Birdseye Aug. 12, 1930 1,911,361 Grande May 30, 1933 OTHER REFERENCES Modern Packaging October 1947, page 125, article entitled "Canned in Layers, 

